


Change My Mind

by Daily_Scenarios



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Fix-It, M/M, canon is dead to me so yeah
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-06
Updated: 2019-11-06
Packaged: 2021-01-24 10:51:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21337039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daily_Scenarios/pseuds/Daily_Scenarios
Summary: “Next Tuesday marks my fifth year here.” - he said and Aaron's heart almost stopped. So he really wanted a divorce.“No.” - he whispered, more to himself rather than Robert. He completely zoned out, he couldn't concentrate on anything.“I can't start the process before that.” - he said leaning on the table.Or...basically I was hurting, so I made myself better with this because canon is pretty much dead to me
Relationships: Aaron Dingle/Robert Sugden
Comments: 13
Kudos: 78





	Change My Mind

**2024**

Things were bad.... like 5 years ago... and that's what alarmed Aaron. Robert wasn't talking to him.... he didn't call, and Aaron couldn't get through to him. No visitations, no nothing. It was just like 5 years ago, and the fear of something like that repeating itself was the last thing Aaron needed.

Seb got into a fight yesterday, and now he spent the day at home... to 'think about his actions' his teacher said. Aaron talked to him, he knew how it happened, and he couldn't stay mad at him for long. He was just defending himself after another kid tried to rile him up. Of course, they were teasing him about his dad. Kids...

And now he couldn't even talk to Robert about it... because he blocked all contact... again. Was this a pattern that always repeated itself in every 5 years? If he wasn't shitting himself Aaron would've laughed about it.

He tried to hold himself together... mostly for Seb, but on the 6th week, he started slowly losing it. That was until a letter came, with a visiting order. Before that he couldn't sleep from his nerves.... after that he couldn't sleep because he wanted to see Robert so bad.

He wanted to scream at him.... he wanted to ask him why was he doing this. He wanted explanations. He wanted... he just wanted to know what was going on in Robert's head... but when the man himself took a seat opposite him... Aaron was speechless. He looked fine... a couple of bruises here and there... but he looked fine.

“So you came then.” - said Robert... like he was relieved?

“What do you think you're doing Robert?” - asked Aaron trying to stay calm. - “No phone calls, no visits... are we back to square one? Do you remember what we've been through 5 years ago, hmm?” - he asked looking into his eyes while he sat there with his arms crossed over his chest.

“I know... I didn't want to scare ya....” - he said but he wanted to say so much more, it was obvious.

“Why don't you just tell me what's this about?”

“You shouldn't.... you shouldn't have to come here.... you shouldn't have to deal with this.”

“Not this bullshit again.” - interrupted Aaron. - “Robert... I'm never gonna give up on you, no matter how much you try to push me.”

“I don't want this for you, Aaron.” - he said close to tears. - “It's not a life... you and Seb... you should just forget I ever existed.”

“You think I could do that? Honestly Robert.... remember what happened 5 years ago.”

“You wouldn't divorce me.”

“Exactly.”

“It's been 5 years... I asked Clive, we've not been together for 5 years.... it tickles the box. It wouldn't be as problematic now.” - he said and Aaron knew all of this already because he did the math as well. He did enough online scrolling all those years ago to know that one of the grounds for divorce was living apart for more than 5 years. This doesn't require consent from the spouse, so if Robert wanted to.... he could divorce him. He could show that they have indeed lived apart for over 5 years, and the court would grant the divorce. Aaron couldn't do anything about it.

“So that's what you want?” - he asked but Robert didn't answer – “Why haven't you done it yet then?”

“Next Tuesday marks my fifth year here.” - he said and Aaron's heart almost stopped. So he really wanted a divorce.

“No.” - he whispered, more to himself rather than Robert. He completely zoned out, he couldn't concentrate on anything.

“I can't start the process before that.” - he said leaning on the table.

“Robert please don't...” - he said as he reached forward and grabbed his hand without thinking. He immediately pulled it back and looked around. When he turned his gaze back to Robert he saw him closing his eyes, with a half-smile on his face. - “Robert?” - he asked worrying about him not speaking.

“You touched me.” - he whispered.

“Sorry... I didn't thi....”

“You touched me.” - he said again opening his eyes.

“Robert... just... please whatever it is you're thinking... “

“I love you.”

“Then don't do anything stupid! What about Seb? You don't think it would affect him?”

“I want the best for him.”

“The best for him is to allow him to visit you every once in a while... to call him at least once a week... “

“He deserves better.... you all do.”

“No... god.” - said Aaron pinching the brick of his nose, he didn't want to start crying. Not in here. Before he could say anything else a guard shouted that he only had 5 minutes left. - “Robert look at me, please just... just promise me you won't do it. I can't... I can't lose ya.”

“You already have.”

“No, please. I can't cope without you. I know it's selfish because you're the one here.... but you know me.... you KNOW me.... and I know you. Just... don't give up on us.”

“I have to think about it, Aaron.”

“Robert we've handled this past 5 years... we can handle anything. I can handle anything. I just need to know you're with me. Let me visit you again... please we need to talk more about this.”

“I'll see.” - he said before he stood up and left.

Aaron was devastated.... he cried all the way home.... and it was a long drive. He parked the car on the way to Emmerdale.... in their layby.... he needed to calm down, Seb couldn't see him like this. Was Robert really gonna do it? He'd file for divorce after everything? Aaron felt so broken like never before, and even though there was a 6-hour long drive behind him, he stayed there for another 2 hours.... because he knew Seb's first question will be about how the visit went.

He had to pull himself together.

* * *

A week passed, and Aaron dreaded every time a letter came. He always thought 'This is it. It's gonna be that letter.' and he always sighed with relief when it turned out to be just another check or spam....Until he got another letter. It was a Monday morning and he made sure to drop Seb off school before he did anything else. He left the letter on the kitchen table, so he went over, sat down with shaking hands and opened the envelope. It was from prison. Robert wouldn't send him divorce papers from prison would he? It would come through his solicitor. Even though he had this thought he didn't dare to believe.

There was a visiting order inside and a piece of paper with Robert's handwriting. The message was simple.

_Change my mind._

It was a challenge, it was a task, but most of all... it was hope.


End file.
